Personal Journey Through Yoga Teacher Training: Email Recap for Week 02/26/14

Hello Om-ies!

I hope your week is off to a great start, snow and all :) I am recapping on Jan's behalf, so if I miss anything please feel free to reply-all to inform the group. Thank you in advance.

Okay, so on Sunday:

Jason led the 11:15 a.m. short form Ashtanga class and if I remember correctly Heather and Dean helped with the Sun Salutations. We practiced for 75 minutes and played with additional poses such as:

Chakrasana (backwards rolling from flat back through Halasana to Chaturanga Dandasana),

Supta Padangusthasana

< --- Iyengar models Supta Padaguthasana.

Upavistha Konasana (1. seated wide angle forward fold), which we took up into a balance like boat (2) and then back over our heads (3), weight on our shoulders, then rocking back up to our sit bones -balancing here (2) - then back down to floor, maintaining wide leg stretch (1) -- see below.

and Cobbler's Pose (Baddha Konasana or "bound angle"), sitting tall with the soles of our feet together, thumbs pulling feet apart like pages of a book.

We also tried 108 rounds of Kapalabhati (Breath of Fire/cleansing breath) feeling the prana build and exhaling at the end like lions.

As usual, after our short form Ashtanga class we had a 20 minute meditation ending with mettā-meditation. We had our lunch/siesta time and came back at 2:30 to start class again.

We discussed "Mind Matters Most." Jen, Linda, Dean and Aviel shared their papers (again, sorry if I missed anyone, going on memory alone here)! Several good points and questions arose about the topic (i.e. in what context does mind matter, how are we acting with regard to our mind). Jason took some time to break down the topic question and its origin was from William Heart's The Art of Living. Essentially "Mind Matters Most" comes from the Buddha's words. Enlightenment can only come from a pure mind. An impure mind is filled with delusion and ignorance. Purity of mind determines happiness/where peace comes from. Wisdom can only arise in this state. There are four qualities to a pure mind: 1. Love/goodwill for all. 2. Compassion. 3. Sympathetic joy. 4. Equanimity/balance/peace. By paying attention to our mind and acting from a place of equanimity improves how we perceive and also improves our well being.

Michelle asked Jason to clarify why we do "flow on our own" or rather, how to meet the question when asked by our students:

We want to empower them! Create a leader/leader culture rather than a leader/follower culture, better enabling them to relate to their own bodies. The best teacher is not the one guiding the class but the student (his or her self)!

To counter fear that may arise from students not used to "flowing on their own."

This is ambiguity training! Like a road trip -- do what feels right for you. This is not a test of your ability to remember a pattern. This is your playtime!

Jason led us in a Slow Burn class (no blindfolds this time) to remind us all how to set it up. Dim lighting. Soft music. We started on our stomachs, he brought us to our breath; yogic complete breathing. We went through the "Master Slow Burn flow." Baby flow with cobras, papa flow from downward dog into warrior one, humble warrior, walking our hands to the back foot and going into crescent, from which we did a side twist and then runner's lunge ending with chaturunga dandasana/downward dog, then other side.

Jason made sure to let us know that we could incorporate whatever felt right in the moment and if we forgot the sequence to just go with the flow. We took a moment to find our breath again in seated meditation then went big mama flow (which I am currently blanking out on, but I DO remember the logs)! We found our first edge in uttanasana, we were reminded that even simple postures can take us to our edge if held long enough! We also did some balancing poses, like airplane with our hands woven behind our back (what's the term for this? I want to say eagle, but that isn't it)... Then we did some head stands... finally closed with savasana, Jason brought us full circle by talking about corpse pose - We must die to live more fully.

When we came upright into our seated posture to close the class, Jason had us bring our hands to heard center then bow our heads. Something to the effect of: "With our hands we do; with our heads we think and with our eyes we see. By bringing our heads closer to our hearts, may we become more aware of our actions, how we think and how we perceive." This was very powerful for many in our group and of course I don't have it word for word, but I hope this helps! :)

After a short break we sat in a circle and reviewed the six stages of the (slow burn/any) class as well as the seven necessary pieces for making meaningful connections. Bricks and mortar folks! I will number the six stages and put in between them the seven necessary components for creating meaningful connections:

PROPER ENVIRONMENT -- internal and external -- temperature, lighting, music, aroma. Introduce breath. Establish inward focus. Get Grounded.

1. Sacred Space (come as you are. you are exactly where you are supposed to be)

USE CLEAR AND SIMPLE DIRECTIONS

2. Ignite the Spirit (breath) awaken pranayama technique; focus on getting in body, master mind.

MAKE SURE STUDENTS ARE FULLY IN THEIR BODIES/MAINTAINING THEIR BREATH/FOCUS

3. Ignite the Fire (warm up asanas, Sun Salutations A/B; "baby" and "papa" flows). Develop breath and movement. Rhythm and swiftness.

GET STUDENTS TO THEIR EDGE; ADD ON / KEEP IT FRESH (introduce new postures, variations).

REMEMBER Jason's tattoo ideas :P

No EDGE, NO growth!

The more you feel, the more you heal!

Pain and fear are two of the greatest teachers...

4. Build the Fire (LOGS) Muscular endurance poses, basic variations. Create more heat.

HELP STUDENTS SOFTEN AROUND THEIR EDGE

This means: stay relaxed, develop determination, stay non-reactive. Things might come up, but that is okay, this will not last forever!

5. Utilize the Fire (Yin postures/on the floor) let body release.

USE BENEFITS AND STORIES

Share the purpose. Why are they doing this? How is it helping them? How are they growing? What is thebigger meaning?

6. Conscious Surrender (closing postures/savasana).

OBSERVE MOMENTS OF SILENCE

As Johnny Kest says, "allow for at least half of your savasana (rest period) to take place in complete silence (with no talking or music whatsoever)."

It is important to give people time for catharsis. Corpse pose is a place to release.

We must die to live.

Fear and attachment are the only things in the way liberation, of knowing or feeling our Oneness.

Finally, in small groups of three or four we practiced the first few components of teaching Slow Burn (setting proper environment, creating sacred space; using clear and simple directions to ignite the spirit and making sure students are in their bodies). After each person had a turn and gave/received feedback, we came back together as a big group and shared our findings for what is needed in this practice. Presence. Clarity. Willingness to explain again. These are only some of the talking points; can you think of others?

OUR HOMEWORK:

First of all: BREATHE! Second: SMILE :D

Now it's time to HAVE FUN!

Continue your daily disciplines (one more week everyone)! This means practice by yourself, get out there and practice Life power yoga! Go to Slow Burn classes -- go to Vinyasa Classes! Observe Classes! Teach classes!

Take time to meditate.

Take time to consider each bite of food mindfully for at least one meal a day.

OBSERVE 24 HOURS OF SILENCE.

Finish your papers (new paper topic for Sunday: "If You had only 24 hours left to live, what would you do?")

Continue journaling

Finish remaining study guide questions/readings.

KNOW the bricks and mortar of classes.

* If you have an interest in teaching at Lifetime and would like Jan or Jason's help getting a mentor, ask!

* If you would like help setting up a class/feedback session, ask!

Again, if I have omitted anything in this email and you would like to bring it up, please email the group.

It has been a pleasure learning along side each and every one of you. I appreciate the community we have created.

Peace and love be with you all,

Claire

P.S. Just in case you aren't on our Facebook group and need a little "doga" for awww and giggles I have included a link to my favorite little dogi named Poncho (get it? Dogi? Like yogi)!

Click link to see: Yoga with Pancho

P.P.S. I have to share this song, if you haven't heard it already or just need to take a dance break, listen to "Happy" by Pharrell Williams. If you can believe it, I've been kicking up my heals and singing along each time I hear it, whether I'm at a red light or in the lunch room on break, it just works! XO ... and if once isn't enough... there is an entire YouTube channel for 24 hours of Happy! Unbelievably awesome project where people submit their own video footage, being happy.